IMPACT OF FLOOD AND RIVERBANK EROSION IN MAJULI, ASSAM (INDIA) AND ITS RESTORATION MEASURES

Dibya Jyoti Kalita

Research scholar (M. Phil), Department of Economics

Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, Assam, India

Abstract

Set amidst the mighty river Brahmaputra, Majuli is
one of the largest inhabited river islands in the world. Majuli is also known
as a land of the Sattra which has
made its life and culture distinguished from other societies. However,
Presently Majuli is well known for having suffered from two natural hazards:
severe bank erosion and flooding. The flood of Brahmaputra River has been
creating havoc every year in the Island. The erosion in the Island is
constantly reducing the area of the land, eroding many villages and Sattras. It also enhances internal and
external migration of the people and created a class of landless poor. Available
data shows that during 1914 the size of Majuli was 733.79 sq. km which now
reduce to 522.73 sq. km in 2013. A positive aspect for Majuli is that a number
of organizations are working for the protection and preservation of this unique
island. Execution of Majuli protection work by the Brahmaputra Board has
resulted in the river island regaining landmass at an average rate of 2 to 2.5
sq. km annually from 2004 to 2013. Through this study, the trend of river bank
erosion and effect of flood and erosion on the island is analyzed. This study also assessed the measures taken to
control erosion in the river island Majuli.

Set
amidst the mighty river Brahmaputra, Majuli is one of the largest inhabited
river islands in the world. The Island is bounded by three Rivers: the Kherkutia Suti (a spill channel of the
Brahmaputra River) on the north-east, the Subansiri
River and her tributaries on the north-west and the Brahmaputra River on
the south and south-west. Majuli was created as a result of periodical natural
changes in the course of the river Brahmaputra caused by frequent major
earthquakes in different times as well as high floods (MCLMA, 2014). Majuli is, first, a river-made island, a
water-locked inhabited zone; and second, it is known as a land of the Sattra which has made its life and
culture distinguished from other societies (Nath, 2009). Majuli
is the nerve-centre of Neo-vaishnavite Hindu religion, art and culture. In
fact, it is considered to be the “Vatican of Neo-Vaishnavism” (Pegu, 2013).

The
island has been always prone to erosion since inception with consequent result
of gradual reduction of its territorial extent (Nath, 2009). Its
geographical area was nearly 1,256 sq. km as per government survey of 1891 and
as per the land survey records of 1950, the total habitable landmass was
1245.12 sq. km (it included entire reach of the Brahmaputra water body up to
left bank along Sibsagar, Jorhat and Golaghat Districts) but much of it was
washed away by the river Brahmaputra in the second half of the twentieth
century due to erosion. According to a report of
Brahmaputra Board, in 2013, the size of Majuli Island is only 522.73 sq. km.
According to Sarma and Phukan (2004), there
is a continuous decrease in the area of Majuli from 751.31 sq. km in 1917 to
564.01 sq. km in 1966-1972, 453.76 sq. km in 1996 and 421.65 sq. km in 2001.
The average annual rate of erosion was found as 1.77 sq. km per year from 1917
to 1972, 1.84 sq. km per year from 1972 to 1996 and 6.42 sq. km pear year from
1996 to 2001. The erosion in the Island is constantly reducing the area of the
land, eroding many villages. It also enhances internal and external migration
of the people and created a class of landless poor. There were many Sattras which are eroded by the flood of
Brahmaputra River and many were shifted to other parts and also setting up
branches across different places of the state, which are creating a threat to
the existence of such age-old establishment.

2. Objectives

to analyze the trend of river bank erosion and effect
of flood and erosion on the river island Majuli.

to assess the measures taken to control erosion in the
river island Majuli.

3.
Methodology

The present
study is descriptive in nature. The present study has used secondary data to
meet its objectives. Secondary data was collected from different reports of the
government agencies, books, research journals, newspapers, periodicals and
different websites. Author’s own interpretation were added in this article.

4. Results and Discussion

4.1
Geographical Description of the Island

Majuli is
situated between 26°45'N to 27°12'N Latitude and 93°39'E to 94°35'E Longitude.This myrobalan shaped Island is situated in the upper
reaches of the Brahmaputra, 630 km upstream of the Indo-Bangladesh border and
1100 km from its mouth. Its elevation from the mean sea level is 84.50 metres
(277.2 ft). The island, situated in Jorhat district of northern Assam is about
80 km wide and about 10-15 km long. This Riverine Island is bounded by North
Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts on the north while Sivasagar and Jorhat
districts lie toward its east. Golaghat district is to the south of Majuli
while Nagaon and Sonitpur districts lie towards its west (Figure 1).

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